Without a doubt, one of the best things about summer is the appearance of Farmers’ Markets and all the fresh produce they provide. They’re always a feast for the eyes and a bounty of culinary inspiration!

Farmers’ Market shopping is also a prime chance to chat it up with the wonderful farmers who know fresh food better than anyone else. If you know the right questions to ask them, your conversations will be highly insightful. These five questions will get you off to a great start. (I want to thank the experts at www.craftsy.com for these suggestions. I’m an avid Farmers’ Market shopper, but I’d never thought to ask these questions. I will from now on, to be sure!)

HOW SHOULD I COOK THIS? This question will help you break out of your vegetable routine (which can get a little drab sometimes). The farmers’ market is the perfect place to expose yourself to new veggies and get creative. Want to try to kohlrabi but not sure how? We bet your farmer has an idea! She’s probably pickled, roasted and steamed every root and leaf at her stand, and can share plenty of recipes to mix up your summer staples.

HOW SHOULD I STORE THIS? Since you’re buying food in its prime, it’s very important to store it correctly. Your farmer will know how to keep your vegetables fresh as long as possible, and if that means keeping them in the fridge or on the counter. Herbs can be especially tricky, so make sure to ask about those, too.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MULTIPLE VARIETIES OF THE SAME VEGETABLE? The best part about the farmers’ market is finding produce varieties you’d never see in a grocery store. So, what’s the difference between an Asian eggplant and a Fairytale eggplant? A Brandywine tomato and a Purple Cherokee? We don’t want to spoil the fun, so ask your farmer and welcome some new favorites into your kitchen.

WHERE’S YOUR FARM? We almost never get a direct relationship with the source of our food, so take advantage! How and what we eat is so important to our health, our community and our lives that developing a relationship with the people who grow food is definitely time well spent. Here are a few thought-starts to get the conversation going:

• Where’s your farm located?


• Can I visit?


• Do you have a CSA (community supported agriculture) program?

WHAT’S THE BEST THING (OF ALL YOU’RE SELLING) THAT YOU’VE EATEN THIS WEEK? Can’t decide what to buy? The farmer behind the table has probably tasted everything there. They’ll know what’s right at its peak. Maybe the snap peas have just hit their crunchy perfection, or maybe it’s the best week of the year to make tomato panzanella. Let your farmer guide you so you can fill your bag with the very best.

    Alice Osborne
    Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2006
    Email the author! alice@dvo.com